Best Employers Include Several Mortgage FirmsAmong recently recognized best employers were several mortgage banking firms, a pair of banks and a mortgage service provider. One home lender has been designated as a "cool" employer.

Wells Fargo Sued Again Over Rate-Lock FeesAfter being named as a defendant in a former employee's lawsuit over rate-lock extension fees, a class action has been filed against Wells Fargo & Co. over the same allegations.

Cherry Creek Mortgage Chairman ResignsFollowing a lawsuit filed by a former employee over the loss of health insurance coverage for her and her spouse, the chairman of a Colorado-based mortgage banker is out.

State Housing Agencies Abuse TARP FundsTaxpayer funds that were intended to support distressed borrowers in areas that suffered the most from the housing crisis have, in some cases, been used for frivolous purposes by state housing agencies.

Mortgage Rate Decline Likely to HoldConcerns about inflation, or the lack thereof, helped to pull down long-term rates on home loans to the lowest level since last year. Signs point to little or no change in the next report.

PPEs Enhanced Through IntegrationsA number of offerings from various mortgage service providers have recently been integrated into multiple product-and-pricing engines. One lender is making its proprietary PPE available directly to consumers.

High-LTV Guidance Issued for BanksThe nation's primary regulator of national banks has clarified lending practices for financial institutions that make residential loans with high loan-to-value ratios in struggling areas.

Mortgage Production Reports Vary WidelyReports of mortgage production continue to roll in -- with some home lenders achieving new milestones, ranking at the top of their local markets or giving up on the business.

Across-the-Board Growth at Guild MortgageIn addition to achieving record loan production, Guild Mortgage Co. boosted the balance of its residential loan servicing portfolio and expanded the size of its payroll.

Mortgage Lead Generation AdvancesMortgage lead providers, which have become more prominent as easy refinance business has diminished, have recently launched new offerings and enhanced existing products.

VA Mortgage Share Up as Credit Conditions EaseVeterans home loans guaranteed by the government have grabbed a bigger share of the mortgage market over the past year. Credit scores and income ratios have eased over the same period.

Construction Permits, Starts & Completions DownAlthough single-family permits held up from the previous month, multifamily dragged down overall authorizations. Also slowing from the previous month was the volume of construction started and completed.

FHA Endorsements Rise, Delinquency DownMonthly new business at the Federal Housing Administration moved higher, while an improvement was recorded for delinquency. The agency grew its residential and commercial books of business.

Serious Mortgage Delinquency Ticks HigherHome loans considered to be seriously delinquent accounted for a greater share of overall loans than in the preceding month. Dallas saw the biggest rise in consumer delinquency.

Mortgage LOS Updates, AcquisitionIn addition to an acquisition involving a loan origination system, two LOS service provides have upgraded there systems -- with one labeled as a "major" release. Meanwhile, LOS integrations continue.

Biggest VA Lender Settles RESPA ViolationsA firm that has recently claimed to be among the biggest home-purchase lenders for veteran programs has agreed to pay over $1 million to settle alleged violations of the Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act.

Mortgage Firms Acquired and Not AcquiredWhile some mortgage acquisitions have recently closed, one fell through just hours before it was supposed to be consummated. One company that was set to close down is back in business.

PHH Continues to Reduce Mortgage BusinessAs the parent of PHH Mortgage continues to execute on its strategy to shrink its mortgage business, losses grew from a year earlier as originations and servicing were slashed.

Year-Over-Year Rise in Navy FCU's Home LendingVienna, Virginia-based Navy Federal Credit Union reported a year-over-year increase in quarterly mortgage originations as much of the industry have reported declines during the same period.

Mortgage Staffing Faces Increased LayoffsCompared to a year earlier, employment in the mortgage industry has expanded. But as quarter-over-quarter headcount was down, some signs point to an increase in layoffs for the sector.

Mortgage Layoffs Pick Up SteamA review of state employment data indicates that several real estate finance firms have recently made, or are planning to conduct, rounds of layoffs involving dozes of employees.

Trump Admin Favorably Revises Obama Jobs DataDespite the harsh rhetoric he had for the legitimacy of the Obama administration's employment numbers, President Donald J. Trump's administration has actually made revisions that improved Obama's numbers.

Little Change in Mortgage Rates, Drop LikelyThere was little movement in fixed rates on home loans over the past week. But it's possible, if tomorrow's jobs report isn't too strong. that fixed rates could be lower in the next report.

Purchase Mortgage Apps Up YoY as Refi Share CutCompared to a year ago, refinance share of mortgage applications has been slashed by 15 percentage points. During that same period, though, purchase application volume has risen by nearly a 10th.

Refis Pull Down Freddie's SF Volume, MF RisesAlthough the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. pushed up the quarterly volume of residential purchase-money loans it financed, a drop in refinance activity more than offset the gain.